Snow Against Ashes
by Kouzuka Haruomi
Summary: Haru was lead to an unconscious suicidal lifestyle by Yuki's affection towards Tohru. Will he recover by the help of Akito, Shigure, Ayame and Kyou? shounen ai


Snow Against Ashes....  
  
Hatsuharu looked as Yuki turned into a mouse after Tohru said   
his first name. The little mouse floated and landed with a slight   
bounce on the soft sheets. A sharp pain invaded Haru's heart somehow   
even how hard he tried to smile. He just couldn't control it.   
  
Suddenly he felt uneasy. He looked at the blushing Tohru and   
the equally red blushing mouse on the sheets. "I… um… I'll be off,"   
he said awkwardly and turned around. And the next thing he knew he   
was again on a road, which he didn't recognize.  
  
--  
  
Later that evening Kyou and Shigure came back sneezing   
halfway to hell. Kyou rubbed off the mucus on his nose. "It's your   
fault that we are sick!" Kyou shouted at Shigure nearly fisting the   
older guy's face. "Aw, Kyou-kun who was the one who asked us to play   
cards!" Shigure retorted half joking- half crying. "But you had to   
stay on for more games when I asked you to go home!"   
  
`POOF'  
  
There was and explosion when suddenly what's left standing in the   
hallway was an orange cat and a gray dog. "Woof?" Shigure   
smiled. "Damn! Now I know I'm sick! What the fuck and I supposed to   
do?"  
  
"Ah, Haru's still here I guess. His coat and wallet are here   
on the table," Shigure uttered.   
  
The orange cat cursed all the way to his bedroom. Then he   
stopped. "Fuck! I can't even open the door! SHIGURE!!!" the poor   
thing shouted. "Yes, Kyou-kun?" the dog trotted to the door. "Come   
and help me open the door! I wanna go to bed!" Shigure opened his   
mouth and tried to pull the door open. "Oh bad… I think we should all   
just go to the main house to get treated by Haa-san," Shigure sighed.   
Kyou stopped and lay on his back on the floor. "Well, fast then I'm   
really beat up here," and it was followed by another sneeze with tons   
of mucus. "Ee… so dirty," Shigure joked again putting on his annoying   
girlish acts.  
  
"Yuki-kun, open the door," Shigure scratched on the door and   
whined. "Ah, Shigure-san!" Tohru's voice was heard inside as the door   
opened not long after. "Ah! Why are you in your dog form?" Tohru   
asked. "Haha… we caught a cold. I'm thinking of going to the main   
house to see Haa-san," the dog said. "Oh…" Yuki, still on his bed   
nodded. "Ah! I'll go with you all. It's really hard for you guys to   
go to the main house in that form right!? I'll go and change okay!"   
with that, the bubbly girl jumped off her seat and went to change out   
of her current clothing article.  
  
Shigure looked around. "Haru-kun wa?" he asked. "He's not   
downstairs?" Yuki asked. Shigure shook his head. "Well, he did say   
he'll be off this morning after I woke up," Yuki frowned. "And you   
let him?" Shigure asked. "I… wasn't paying attention," Yuki mumbled   
and got off his bed. "Sou ka," Shigure looked at Yuki walking to his   
closet to change. "I guess he's gone home… and should be there   
already by now… I hope," a tinge of worry could be heard in his voice.  
  
"Why are you so worried?" Yuki asked. "Well, he left his coat   
and wallet in the living room. If you said he went home he'd be   
without his coat and no money," Shigure sighed. "I hope he doesn't   
get lost. If he does he'd have no money to eat," now Shigure's sad   
voice wasn't fake. It was real.  
  
Yuki felt a pang of guilt for not paying attention earlier.   
But it wasn't his fault that he guy just left like that.  
  
"He's a grown kid. If he get lost, he wont get into much   
trouble. It's not like he's going to get kidnapped or something.   
  
Yuki put on a few layers of clothing to prevent from getting   
cold again on their way back to the main house. He skipped the New   
Year so he thought he might just drop by and see the others. "I'm   
ready!" Tohru came back with Kyou in her arms, all sneezy and sticky.   
  
  
--  
  
Hatori opened his door and saw a dog, a cat, Yuki and Tohru   
in front of his door. Then Kyou sneezed. "Hehe… um.. hi?" the orange   
cat waved. "Damn this people who ignores the winter air and play in   
the cold," he opened the door bigger to let them in. He slammed it   
and sighed. Momiji who had a warm ice pack in his arm smiled. "Tohru-  
kun!" he jumped off his chair and ran to them. "Are you sick too?" he   
asked. "Oh, Momiji-san! No I just came along with Shigure-san and   
Kyou-kun," she told him. "Ah, Shi-chan… you sick?" the boy   
asked. "Yeah, caught a bit of a cold out there," the dog   
giggled. "Sit down," Hatori pulled the dog into his lap as he sat   
down on the floor. "Umm… Haa-san is so warm," Shigure nuzzled the   
guy. That earned a swat on his head. "Stay still," Hatori ordered as   
he checked the dog.  
  
Kyou sneezed again. "Maa… Kyou-kun is also sick. Here, let's   
share this warm water bag!" Momiji pulled the orange cat to him and   
cuddled it together with the warm bag. Though it was so much   
comfortable there it was his nature to be egoistic. "I don't want   
that! Lemme go you lil'pest!" he jumped off Momiji. The boy's face   
was slightly hurt.   
  
Kyou cursed himself for being a big dickhead again. "I… um…   
Yuki need it more. He got another attack this morning," he blurted   
out. "Kyou!" Yuki exclaimed. "You did?" Hatori looked at Yuki, a   
sharp glare that might hurt if the truth is not told. "Umm… but it   
was a light one," he uttered.   
  
"You're going for a check-up later. I don't care," Hatori's   
voice was serious. Tohru looked at Hatori's stern but serene face.   
She knew he was kind of overworked since Shigure told her earlier   
that the whole Souma family was infected with Influenza.   
  
"Ah, sou… Did we leave Haru at home?" Kyou asked as he licked   
his paws. "Um… Yuki said he went home," Shigure told the boy. "Went   
home? By himself!? Are you crazy?" The boy was going to miss another   
week of school!" Kyou stood up on all fours. "And where do you think   
you're going?" Hatori asked. "I'm going to look for that stupid slice   
of bacon!" he walked to the door. "In that form? Stay where you are!"   
Hatori's voice was firm but commanding. Everyone else quieted.   
  
"He'll just come back when he's done getting lost," Yuki   
uttered. "You idiotic mouse. He's lost somewhere out there and this   
is just what you can say?" Kyou shouted. He really got a big voice   
for such a tiny body. "Well, he is without his coat n wallet you   
know," Shigure sighed,   
  
Hatori stood up. "Ah! This means Haru-san would also be cold   
and sick and might transform into a big cow in the middle of the   
city!" Tohru started to panic as usual.   
  
Hatori pulled the cat into his lap and did some checking.   
After that he tucked both Shigure-dog and Kyou-cat into bed. "I'll do   
the searching. Yuki, you go and see Akito and don't go home yet. I   
need to check on you later," he ordered. "Um…" Yuki nodded. I'll go   
as soon as I want to," he uttered.  
  
Akito looked at the main gate as it opened. Haru appeared   
before it not long after that. "Yo brat! You still haven't paid!"   
Haru stopped and looked into his pockets. "I don't haf money," he   
said bluntly.   
  
Akito walked to the door and looked at Haru. "You've been out   
for 3 days," Akito said. His voice was stable. "……" "Oi, kusogaki!"   
the taxi man from outside was still shouting. Akito saw a gardener   
nearby. "Go and ask the gardener for money," he told the boy and   
turned back towards his room.  
  
Haru did as told and closed the door after paying the taxi   
driver. Then as he was walking towards his house he saw   
Hatori. "Haru," the guy called. The white haired boy stood still   
where he was.   
  
"I've sent a notification saying that you are absent from   
school because of Influenza," he told the boy. Haru bowed in   
gratitude and uttered a short "Thank you," before walking away.   
  
Kyou and Momiji were sneaking out towards the gate when they   
found Haru. "Oi, Haru!" Kyou shouted in a course whisper. "Em?" Haru   
blinked and looked at Kyou with a really blank expression. "What is   
it?" he asked the orange cat in Momiji's arms. "How did you come   
back?" he asked. "Umm… asked the taxi driver to send me to Souma's   
Mansion…." He uttered nonchalantly. Kyou frowned. He knew Haru was   
dazed looking and equally dumb but there was something about him that   
bothered him. "Haru-chan, is something wrong?" Momiji asked, echoing   
Kyou's question. Haru smiled and shook his head. "No… nothing's   
wrong," he answered and walked passed them.   
  
Momiji and Kyou looked at the boy's back as he walked to his   
own house. Both of them looked at each other and shrugged. "Do you   
wanna go back and sleep?" Momiji asked. Kyou nodded. "Un… so tired…"   
he yawned. "Ah… kawaii," Momiji nuzzled the cat and brought it inside.  
  
--  
  
Three days later…  
  
  
"Ahn… so hungry…" Kyou uttered as he walked into the kitchen.   
It was a Saturday morning and Tohru had to go to work early. So the   
house was practically cleaned because she usually cleaned it before   
going to work. "Peh…" Kyou snorted as he saw Yuki on the table   
already starting breakfast.   
  
Shigure came into the kitchen and sighed. "Hatori called," he   
started as he sat on the table. When he got both of their attention   
he continued. "Haru had been found fainted in his room," he told the   
boys. "Eh? Why?" Kyou asked. Yuki just raised a brow. "Then the   
parents realized that he haven't came out to eat dinner since the day   
he came back. He skipped school as well. That's when the teacher   
called yesterday to ask where was he because Hatori told the school   
that he'll be coming but didn't show up. The maid went up to his room   
to find him unconscious," Shigure sighed. He picked up some salted   
vegetable and ate it. "Something's wrong with him but he wont tell,"   
he shook his head.   
  
"I'm going to check him up," Kyou slammed his chopsticks on   
the table. "Sit down you idiot. What can you do?" Yuki asked. "At   
least I care, not like someone!" he uttered as he walked out of the   
kitchen. Somehow it hit Yuki hard. Kyou barely even touched his   
food. "What's with him?" Yuki frowned. "A cat's sixth sense maybe,"   
Shigure smiled.   
  
"I'm going too Kyou, wait for me," Shigure called the   
boy. "Whatever!" was the temperamental answer.   
  
Yuki looked at Shigure. Somehow the dog-cursed man in front   
of him had a rough idea of what's going around. He just never seemed   
to butt in. Not until it gets serious. Somehow a tiny feeling of   
guilt emerged from the back of his heart. He frowned deeper and   
shoved it off.   
  
--  
  
Haru opened his eyes. Next to him was Akito and Hatori. His   
eyes widened up into plates as he struggled to sit up. "It's okay   
Haru… just lie down," Akito's gentle but deep voice uttered. Haru   
looked at the guy's face. Half of his eyes were hidden under hazy   
bangs which reminded him so much of… Yuki.  
  
"Are you okay?" Akito asked. Haru blinked. He had to be   
careful in answering because Akito can react very immensely to   
anything that doesn't suit his taste. Haru nodded once. At least   
being the dazed one of the family would excuse him for acting dumb   
now.  
  
"You didn't eat after your visit to Shigure's house. Is there   
anything that effected you there?" Akito asked again, this time his   
gestured Hatori to leave them alone.   
  
`Yes, the girl. She's having an effect on Yuki! And Yuki's   
supposed to be mine!'  
  
Is what he wanted to say, but knowing if that's what that   
would come out Akito would certainly order the girl to have her   
memory erased and out of the house. And that would make Yuki sad or   
even hate him nonetheless. And he wouldn't do anything to hurt Yuki.   
  
"No…" was the soft answer. "I just don't see the point in   
living anymore," was what his subconscious told Akito. Akito   
blinked. "Aa… why is that?" the older version of Yuki asked him. "I   
dunno… maybe because I can't find true love?" was what he   
uttered. "You're only 15," Akito told the boy.   
  
Haru sighed. Maybe Akito was right. He was only 15.  
  
"It was Honda Tohru wasn't it?" Haru blinked at the change of   
voice in Akito. He turned to look at him and almost jumped in fear.   
The look was so intense. He knew. He knew it even without asking.   
  
"Yuki… he has been effected hasn't he?" Akito asked, standing   
up. "No, wait!" Haru got up and held Akito's slender almost fragile   
hand. Afraid that he might break it, he let go immediately. Akito   
looked at Haru. "Please… her presence is very important to him.   
Because of her his relationship with Kyou had improved!" Was the   
reason he gave to Akito. It was a silly one yes, but it was the   
truth. "But what about you?" was Akito answer and question. "I don't   
mind if it was for the better…" Haru's voice was bitter. "For the   
better… I wonder…" Akito murmured and walked out of the room,   
shutting it softly.   
  
Just as that he coughed and almost fell. Hatori who was   
waiting outside rushed towards the guy and supported him. "Are you   
okay?" he asked Akito. Akito sighed and breathed in deeply. Hatori   
sighed and carried the feather-light guy into his room.   
  
Akito placed his hand around Hatori's neck and leaned on his   
shoulder. "Should we have Tohru out of the house?" he asked Hatori.   
Hatori opened the door to Akito's room and shut it behind them. "It's   
not necessary," Hatori uttered. He carefully placed Akito on the   
futon in his room. He sat next to him.   
  
"But I don't want a member of our family to die because of   
it," he uttered, looking at Hatori in his right eye. His slender   
hands reached out to brush away the bangs that were covering the   
other eye, the eye that he had blinded with his own hands. He leaned   
forward and kissed the eye gently. "Die?" Hatori asked. Akito leaned   
into Hatori's embrace and sighed. "Hatsuharu's depressed of Yuki's   
overflowing attention towards Tohru and to top all of that to ignore   
him," he uttered. "I know the feeling of being ignored," Akito   
uttered. "The boy has a rough live ahead of him. Even if the   
Juunishi's can't have love from the opposite sex, the same gender   
would be equally precious," he looked up at Hatori.   
  
Hatori gave Akito a gentle push and stood up.   
  
But Akito kept a tight grip on his shirt. Hatori frowned and   
glared at Akito. Akito almost knitted his brows when he looked away   
and let go of the cloth in his hand. "Yes... I know you all hate me.   
Go," he uttered. Hatori's eyes widened. "No, Akito…"  
  
"JUST GO!" He swapped his hands over some porcelain figures   
that were nearby resulting it to crash on the floor. Hatori bent down   
to pick up the pieces when Akito started to cough violently. "Akito   
are you…"  
  
"Go away! If I die won't you all be happy!?" He exclaimed   
through his bloodstain voice. Hatori was ecstatic when he saw blood   
oozing out from the corner of Akito's mouth. "Akito!" he lunged   
forward to hold the fragile being by his shoulders. Akito looked   
away, the patterns on the wall seem so interesting suddenly.   
  
"If you all hate me so much… just let me die…" his voice was   
soft. Hatori's eyes were watery. His left eye hurt again. It pulsed   
faster and faster following his heartbeat. The frame in his hands are   
so fragile that he thought he might break it if more pressure was   
put. "Akito…" he uttered softly. Then another shock came over him.   
His arm was wet. Droplet of tears fell onto it, seeping cold through   
his shirtsleeve.   
  
"Akito… you crying?" he asked. The weak guy looked really   
pale and lifeless. The fact that he had a blood-trail trailing down   
the sides of his lips wasn't helping. A small smile crept up to his   
face. "I am evil am I?" he raised up his own hand and wiped off the   
blood with his overly expensive kimono sleeve.   
  
"So evil that… that even Momiji hates me…" tears streaming   
down his now flushed cheeks. Hatori hated himself. He knew for sure   
what Akito did was necessary, something that has to look evil to be   
kind. He leaned closer and slowly licked away the blood from Akito's   
lips. It was a tangy flavor of zest and metal, the taste of sweet   
blood. Hatori put his hands behind Akito's head and gently pushed him   
down to the floor. He kissed away the tear and gently guided Akito's   
face so he was looking at him. "We don't hate you. No one does… We're   
just a little scared…" Hatori uttered softly. He straightened up and   
got a glass of water and pills that were always by the window for   
Akito.   
  
"Come," he helped Akito up and helped him with the   
medication. He looks so frail and weak that it looks like even the   
crack of the thunder would shatter break him. Hatori held Akito close   
warming the other person more. "Gods Akito… we love you so much until   
it hurts to think that you do this to us…" Hatori whispered. Akito   
was silent. He just wanted to be able to be cradled by Hatori a   
moment longer. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat makes him feel so   
calm. It had always been his lullaby to sleep.   
  
"I'll see what I can do about Haru-kun," Hatori uttered and   
kissed Akito on the forehead. "Otanomu desu…" Akito uttered sleepily.   
  
--  
  
"Akito-san," Shigure called in greeting as he came into the   
room, behind him was Kyou. "Akito-san," his voice was soft. Akito was   
looking out the window. A white dove dancing on the tip of his   
fingers. He always looked so graceful and soft. And he must be   
actually kind to have birds crawling all over him. Kyou's thoughts of   
the head of the Souma family halted when he turned around. He had a   
weird expression on his face. "It's noon," he uttered. "Un," Shigure   
agreed. "I'd thought you'd come later," he uttered. "Yuki's at home   
with…"  
  
"Tohru. Honda Tohru. Am I right?" Akito's voice thickened.   
Somehow it sent shivering pulses right into Kyou's stomach. He didn't   
like the tone. Not a bit. "You're not going to chase her away are   
you?" Suddenly Kyou blurted out.   
  
'Damn, I should really shut my mouth!' he cursed himself   
inwardly.   
  
Akito stepped closer to the two other occupants in the   
room. "I don't know," he answered, walking back to the window. "We   
have a suicidal case in our house now thanks to her. Do you think I   
should still let her stay?"   
  
"But she's very…" Shigure's hand suddenly landed on Kyou's   
lap. The boy paused and looked at his cousin. An anxious expression   
was on his face as he shook his head to say `Don't ever talk about   
anything that would goes against his wishes!'.  
  
Kyou sighed. "I'm sorry," he uttered.   
  
Akito emitted a sound that probably suggested that he was   
annoyed. "I think we should be off to see Haru," Shigure stood up and   
walked out of the room with Kyou. "It really wasn't wise of you to   
say that to him," Shigure uttered. "But!" Kyou protested. "You do   
realize that it was THE Akito-san right?" Shigure's expression was   
stern.  
  
The door opened as a body of a sleeping Haru was   
revealed. "Haru-kun," Shigure called softly as Kyou entered behind   
him, sliding the door.   
  
Haru stirred and blinked his eyes. "Ah… Shigure-san, Kyou…"   
he uttered softly. His eyes peered a little to look if anyone else   
was to come in. "He's not coming," Kyou closed his eyes and   
sighed, "Oh…" Haru's face dropped a little. "It's nothing,"   
disappointment was clearly heard in his voice. Kyou moved closer to   
Haru. He pushed off the blanket and helped Haru to straighten his   
body to sit properly. The boy was shaking. "Have you eaten?" Kyou   
asked. Haru blinked and looked away. Kyou sighed and embraced the   
boy. Haru bit his lips. Somehow he felt as if he didn't deserve the   
affection.   
  
"I'm so useless…" he uttered softly to Kyou's clothes. His   
voice was muffled but Kyou knew what his cousin was talking   
about. "No you're not," Kyou's voice was exceptionally soft. Shigure   
seldom saw this side of Kyou. "When she came, both Yuki and you made   
up for the better…" he grabbed Kyou and shook in his arms, tears   
falling uncontrollably.   
  
Kyou didn't know what to do but secured his arms around his   
younger cousin for comfort.  
  
Kyou sighed. Haru has always been the one taking care of people's  
wellfare. He took care of Kisa when she was in trouble, made Kyou   
happy by inviting him for fights. Even if it looks odd to oher people,  
Haru does make a good companion.   
  
Shigure sighed and stood up. "Haru-kun, I'm going off for a while.   
I'll be back later," he smiled. Haru nodded and nuzzled more in the  
comfort that was offered to him by Kyou.   
  
"Kyou?" he called softly. "Em?" Kyou ran his fingers softly through   
Haru's white tresses. "Does he really hate me?" Haru asked, crying   
into Kyou's chest. Kyou shook his head. "Of course not! Don't think  
Yuki thinks that of you," he kissed the boy's hair.   
  
Haru sobbed harder into Kyou's chest. he felt the need to release   
it all out. "I love you Haru. It's okay..." Kyou uttered softly, easing   
himself so that Haru was more comfortable.  
  
--  
  
"Na, Aya... can you come to the main house for a while?" Shigure's  
voice was soft and serious. Ayame blinked at the other end of the   
line. "Why? Is there something wrong? Is something wrong with   
Yuki?" He asked. Shigure's laight giggles could be heard. "Nah,   
nothing like that. It's just about... um.. Haru-kun," Shigure started.   
"Hatsuharu? Did he turn into B-Haru again and went on a rampage in  
Akito's garden?" a light humor was sensed in his tone. Ayame wasn't   
that aquainted with Haru. They know each other but not that close.  
The only time they would talk was... was... well they never talked,   
come to think of it. Aya most probably knew Haru from his reputation  
of causing a havoc around the main house when things doesnt go his   
way. In a way, Ayame acknowledged Haru as a spoiled brat.   
  
"Um... nothing like that. You see..." Shigure started telling Ayame   
about Haru's crush on Yuki since he was young and how it carried  
to what was happening now. Aya was silent on the other end of the   
line. He didn't know it would carry out till this far. His stupid little   
brother. It wasnt as like he disapprove his relationship with Tohru.   
But from his own observation, Tohru doesnt seemed to be the least   
interested in the way he wanted her to. And this poor soul was here  
all the time begging for his love to be answered. Ayame could already   
feel the boy's sorrow.   
  
"Aya?" Shigure's voice was heard. "Um, I'll be there in a jiffy!" he put   
down the phone and ran out of the store. "Keep the store intact, Mine!"   
he exclaimed before disappearing.   
  
--  
  
Momiji looked at the taxi that stopped by and blinked. "Aya-san!" he   
exclaimed. "Momicchi-kun!" Ayame waved at the lil german halfling.   
"What are you doing here?" Momiji asked, jumping off the fence.   
"I'm here to visit Haru-kun!" he smiled. "Ah, kocchi kocchi!" Momiji   
gestured Ayame to follow him. Shigure was sitting by the steps. "Aya,"  
he nodded at the other's presence.   
  
Shigure nodded at Momiji and the other boy went to get some snacks   
and drinks. The door opened and another white haired person enter the   
room. "Ayame," Kyou frowned. He honestly didn't fancy the guy's presence;  
but one look at his face, he knew that Ayame meant business.   
  
"Haru-kun?" Haru looked up from the comfort and safety of Kyou's chest  
when he heard his name being called by a deep tenor. Haru looked up   
with his clear gray orbs into large amber eyes. "Ayame-san..." he uttered   
weakly. Ayame sighed. "What happened to you, dear?" he reached out to   
cuddle the boy. Haru leaned into Ayame's embrace receiving new warmth.   
  
Ayame kissed his hair and smiled. "I seldom get to see you Haru. And when   
I do get to see you, I don't want you to be in this condition," he uttered.   
This made Haru's eyes brimmed with tears again. "I just can't help it," he  
bit his frail rembling lips. Ayame turned the boy around. He touched the  
soft smooth pale white skinned face. "You're so beautiful. This expression  
doesn't suit you at all," Ayame said softly. Haru tried to smile despite his  
falling tears.   
  
Ayame leaned forward and kissed away the tears. Then he smiled as he   
looked at Haru's clear grey eyes. "Haru, you're so beautiful," he uttered   
again. Haru blinked. Ayame smiled. "Do you want to work for me?" he   
asked. "I mean, you can model for my clothes. And I'll bet you can show   
it to 'him' that you can still survive without him!" Ayame beamed. Haru   
pouted. "I... I don't think I can model... I'm not as beautiful as he is..." he   
uttered. "Hey! You are really beautiful okay? I can prove it! I bet you can   
model for my next magazine article," Ayame raised his brow.   
  
"You serious?" Haru blinked. Haru looked up at Shigure who was standing   
by the door frame since earlier. He gave the boy a court nod and a warm  
smile. "Wow... a chance to appear on magazine..." Kyou commented.   
  
--  
  
Yuki frowned. The girls were crowding on one corner of the class. He   
didn't have the slightest idea of what they were up to. Kyou came into   
class after his class duty of throwing the trash. "Ne, Kyon-kyon... isn't   
this guy gorgeous?!" a girl asked as he passed by. He frowned. Then he  
let out a big smile. "He's really out!?" he took the magazine and laughed.   
"Damn, he's really good ain't he?" he pointed at the magazine.   
  
Yuki frowned. "You guys better keep it down. The sensei's coming in   
soon," he told them all. He was actually curious about what was all the   
commotion about but he was too composed to walk over and check it out.  
If it was Kyou, he'd just march into the enemy's base without even as far   
as a thought.   
  
"Ah! It's Haru-kun!" Tohru exclaimed when she entered the class with the   
brooms. She happened to glance at the magazine when she came back   
from cleaning the brooms. Yuki stood up. Now, he must look.  
  
The prince strayed over to the other side and took the magazine, almost   
tearing it in the process. There was Haru, posing with his pictures taken   
in multiple angles. He was in a pair of really short pants, loose checkered shirt   
falling halfway from his body. Really gorgeous looking in a way. He could   
see himself blush.   
  
But suddenly the feeling turned into anger when he saw the label on the   
bottom of the page. Ayame's Wedding Shop for Men. What the hell was   
that fool up to? He thought angrily. How dare he exploit poor Haru like   
that?  
  
Then there was a slam on the table. "Pretty sight ain't it?" Yuki looked   
up to follow the hand that was on the table to find Kyou smirking. He   
pulled the orange top boy out of the class into the stairway where no   
one was around. "Don't you dare tell me that you were a part of this...   
this... scam!" Yuki pointed at the picture, jabbing it. Kyou snorted in   
challenge. "So what if I was?" he dared himself.   
  
'BOKA!'  
  
Kyou found his jaw numbed a few seconds later. "I'm frying him alive after   
school," Yuki gritted his teeth, "And you better watch out too!" he turned   
around to go back into class. He'd just get over the day and let his punches   
fly to his older brother after that. Kyou held his jaw and frowned. "You have   
no rights to do so, you know?" he said, almost coolly. Yuki paused. Somehow   
that sentence made him stop.   
  
"Like who are you to stop Haru from working for Ayame?" Kyou asked, he   
could see Yuki shaking with his back at him. "Even if Haru was to pose   
nude for the magazine, you have no rights to stop him!" Kyou continued.   
"And do you want to know why?" He stepped down the stairs one by one   
until he was the same level with Yuki. He could feel Yuki's trembling fist, just   
itching to fly to his jaw again. But somehow he found himself pushing the   
boy's shoulder so that Yuki would face him. "Because you just don't care   
about him," Kyou uttered.  
  
The words stricked Yuki like lightning. "You never cared when he was nice   
to you. You never cared when he was sick. You never cared about what   
his wellfare was. Why start now?" Kyou asked. He narrowed his eyes as he   
looked right into Yuki's purple ones. "You sicken me Yuki," he spat and walked   
to class.   
  
Yuki blinked.   
  
For the first time in his life, he was unsure of himself.  
  
  
--  
  
  
The last bell of the day rang. "Okay scram. I don't want silly excuses   
tomorrow. A dateline is a dateline," the teacher uttered. "Ha~~~i" they all   
called. Without much talk, the class was quickly disperse.   
  
"Souma-kun?" Tohro's soft voice was heard. He paused and turned around.   
Again the complex feelings was swarming towards this pretty young lady. A   
smile just popped on his face. "Hai?" he asked in reply. "Um.. are we going   
to walk back together?" she asked, her almost blushing face was beautiful.   
  
"I... um... I have to do something..." just as he was about to finish his   
sentence, Kyou came into view. "You walk her back," he smirked. Yuki   
frowned. "I'm going to see Haru doing some new photo shots," Kyou uttered   
nonchalantly. "Honto?" Tohru beamed. "Um... Tohru, it's not that i dont want   
you to come. But Shigure was up the whole night doing his work he should   
feel hungry right about now," Kyou smiled. It was odd of him to think about   
Shigure that but he shrugged it off. Something just need to be done. "Ah!   
right! I need to cook lunch for him then!" she said witha determined   
expression.  
  
"Kyou!" Yuki almost shouted. "Ah..." Tohru held up both her hands and   
sweatdropped. "It's okay. You guys don't have to fight. I can walk home by   
myself," she smiled. "But..." Yuki started to protest. "Yeah, let the   
kuso-nezumi walk you home. There are still some weird perverts walking   
around," Kyou said as he walked away. Yuki frowned deeper and caught   
Tohru's seam of her sleeves almost haughtily. "Ah... itte..." Tohru gasped.   
"Uhn... gomen ne," he let go of her sleeve. "Let's hurry home ne?" It was   
a forceful smile, but it'll have to do for now.  
  
--  
  
"Subarashii!" Ayame clapped his hands. His young cousin was really model   
material. His dazed expression made him exceptionally aesthetic in his own  
charming way. And his body was pale and supple, young and innocent and   
combination of beauty and with a zest of danger. He was one complicated   
and extraordinary living harlequin. He has the height, the look, the voice,   
the eyes the skin...  
  
"Souma-san?" One of the photographers called resulting in the end of his   
daydreaming. "Em?" he beamed. "He can have his break now," the sweet   
looking man told Ayame. "Oh yes, Mine!?" the silver haired man called out   
for one of his worker. "Hai, Tencho?" the petite girl that was apparently   
the ONLY worker in the store came up from behind. "Bring some   
refreshments and cookies for Haru-kun ne~ ??" he beamed. "Hai, Tencho!"   
she flipped towards the back of the store.  
  
Haru smiled. "You get money just by sitting in various positions. Omoshiroi   
na," he mused, his voice was smoky and seducive. "But you have to have   
the looks and quality of a model," Ayame reminded the boy. Hatsuharu   
shrugged and blushed slightly. His new boss was treating him like a porcelain   
doll, attending to his every whim. As if he has any.  
  
The chime rang and they looked up to see Kyou raising up his hand. "Osu!"   
he smiled. He grew to tolerate Ayame. He learned that once you get to   
know him, he was actually a very nice companion to hang out with. No   
wonder Shigure and even Hatori got along well with him. He's just one of   
those deeper-than-surface kinda person.  
  
"Irrasshaimase. Kyon-kichi!" Ayame beamed. "Come! sit sit!" he stood up to   
relief a space for his other young cousin.  
  
"So, what brings you here?" Ayame asked. "Ah, it's just that Haru was hot   
stuff in the magazine. So i heard that he was to have another shooting   
session here, So i came," he smirked. Ayame nodded. "He's pretty much   
THE item now," he ruffled the white messy ruffle of hair.   
  
Mine came with the refreshments and they had some chit-chat.  
  
--  
  
Yuki walked Tohru to the doorstep and waited anxiously as she opened   
her shoes. "Are you not coming in, Souma-kun?" Tohru asked. "Uh, no   
Honda-san. I need to run some errands. I'll be back for dinner," he smiled   
at her. "Ah, thank you for sending me even if it was out of your way,"   
she bowed in gratitude. "It's okay Honda-san. Your safety is my priority,"   
he told her.   
  
After seeing her into the house safely, he turned around and almost ran   
to his brother's store; ready to cause rampage.   
  
He paused for breath, his weak bronchi ready to collapse again. It was   
too cold out here actually.   
  
He almost ran through the glass door if it didn't automatically open for   
him to enter. "Ah, Yuki!" Haru was almost instintive. It was his habitual   
action to acknowledge Yuki's present whether Yuki likes it or not. He   
stood up and almost lunged into Yuki when Kyou stopped him. "What are   
you doing here?" the orange haired boy inquired.   
  
"None of your business, Baka neko," he turned sharply to look at Haru.   
"Haru, follow me home," he said, or rather commanded. If there was   
one thing that he couldn't do was to disobey anything that Yuki said.  
It was just in Haru to concide to what Yuki has to say.   
  
Ayame stood up and stood in between them. "He's not done yet," he   
uttered. As much as he loves his brother, he couldn't bring his brother   
to understand his feelings towards the younger boy if he didn't help.   
"Stop manipulating him for your own selfish purposes!" Yuki shouted.   
  
"I'm going to close my store for a while for renovation purposes. So,   
let my last business run smootly, Yuki," his brother's voice was liquid.   
  
"No! Haru, come!" he ordered again. Kyou raised his hands again, to   
stop Haru. "Who do you think you are? Coming here and suddenly   
acting like Haru's mother?" Kyou demanded. "Look at him! He's going to   
pose for everyone to see in such.. such little cloth on!" Yuki exploded.   
  
"Why? You jealous?" Kyou challenged the other. Yuki frowned. "Yuki..."   
Haru pushed past Kyou gently and walked to the shorter boy. "Yuki..   
I'm sorry, I'd stop," he reached down to hold Yuki's hand gently. "It's just   
that Ayame-san was just trying to help me. I was..."  
  
"I don't care what you were..." Yuki flailed his hands away from Haru's   
touch. Before he realised it he was already looking at the most hurtful   
expression on the other boy's face. "Ah... I'm sorry," he uttered. "I..." just   
as Yuki wanted to apologize, he was punched by Kyou. It was not a hard   
one, but it was enough to pull back Yuki into realising what a dimwit he was.   
  
Ayame had pulled Haru into his embrace and unconsciously the boy sniffled   
in the safety of his arms.  
  
Ayame sighed. He was just going to succeed in pulling the boy out of his   
slump when all this had to happen. "Go back to Tohru. Haru doesn't need   
you anymore," Kyou uttered under his breath. He was really going to explode   
but he didn't want to wreck Ayame's store.   
  
Yuki turned away and walked out of the store. Why did he do that? Why   
did he act as if Haru was a plague? Why? Was he scared of what he might   
feel for the boy? Was he scared of his own feelings and was trying to hide   
it with his mutual feeling for Honda-san?   
  
He walked home feeling confused. He just didn't know what to do.   
  
--  
  
Ayame needed to drop something at a customer's shop which was nearby   
Shigure's house so he had called Hatori to get his car. He drove Kyou back  
and was planning to drop Haru back at the Souma Main House later.   
  
Yuki was walking out to head to his secret base when the black car stopped  
in front of his house. "Sankyu Ayame!" Kyou waved as he stepped out of   
the car. Yuki ignored the stupid cat but came eye-to-eye with the other   
person on the passanger's seat. "Hello, Yuki!" Ayame called. He frowned and   
looked at Haru who was looking at something interesting on the floor. "Haru,"  
Yuki called. The other couldnt help but to just look up. "Oh, I guess I'll be   
going then," Ayame said nervously as he was about to step on the gas pedal.  
"No, wait. Stop!" Haru told his older cousin and stepped out of the car.   
  
Ayame sighed and smiled. "I'll come back to pick you up. Give me a call okay?"  
he told the young model. Haru nodded and waited as Ayame stepped on the   
gas. "Buhbye, Yu~~ki!" he exclaimed as he drove away.   
  
Kyou snorted. "I'm hungry so I'm going in first," he mumbled and walked into   
the house. Yuki stood there, unmoving; the saw as Haru. "I'm going to my   
secret base. You want to come?" he asked. Haru nodded once and followed   
his cousin.   
  
He followed Yuki in silence. He didn't mind Yuki ignoring him. He felt happy  
just knowing that Yuki acknowledging his presence. Yuki stopped when he   
came to a clearing where a small vegetable plantation was located. Haru   
silently watched Yuki as the boy took the watering hose and watered the   
plants with a gentle spray.   
  
The light reflected from the water droplets created illusions of diamonds.   
It was so pretty that Haru just stood there watching in a daze.   
  
Yuki looked at his cousin and sighed. He hated himself. Why must he cause  
this pretty looking thing so much agony? He knew his mutual relationship  
with Honda-san won't work. If it can work between the Jyuunishis and a   
normal human being, she would most probably pick Kyou anyway. And here   
stood a nice young man who'd devoted himself all to him, was ready to die   
for him and would do anything for him; and he just ignore the boy.   
  
Ignore?   
  
Was it even ignoring? He thought again. It was more like hiding, running   
away for the cold hard fact that he had indeed fallen for his angel like  
cousin. He didn't want to be weird. He wanted to be like everyone else,  
to fall in love with another girl.   
  
But he was abnormal to begin with. What human turns into a rat when   
being huggen by the opposite sex? Unconcsioucly, tears began to fill  
his eyes.   
  
"Yuki? daijobu ka?" Haru had stepped forward, cautiously avoiding the   
path of the spraying water. Yuki looked up and accidentally pointed the   
hose at Haru, Haru fell backwards into the baby puddle caused by the   
water hose being directed there for a long time; drenching the boy   
from head to toe. "Ah, gomen!" Yuki dropped the hose and ran to the boy.   
  
He knelt in front of Haru as Haru pushed back the hair that was caught   
in his eyes. He smiled, albeit a sad one. "It's okay, Yuki," he uttered softly.  
For the first time after a long dismissal between them, Yuki was observing   
his cousin from this distance. Haru wasn't like what he remembered. His   
eyes were slightly sadder than usual; his pale face, paler; his hair longer.   
"Are you sad, Haru?" Yuki asked, for the first time in his life he let his instinct  
take over. He didn't want to think before doing anything anymore.   
  
Haru blinked and looked at the mud on the ground. "I guess... a little... but   
it's okay," he smiled at Yuki, his liquid gray eyes shone and sparkled. "I'm   
happy that Yuki brought me here today. I'll treasure this day till i die," he   
said softly.   
  
Yuki reached down to take Haru's hands. Somehow, Haru had gotten   
thinner than he was. "Let's go inside and dry you. I'll lend you some change  
of clothes," he pulled the boy gently.   
  
Haru complied without as much as a word as he followed contentedly inside  
Shigure's house. "Yada yada yada.... what happened?" Shigure asked as he   
saw Yuki pulling a mud stained Haru behind him. "Haru fell into the mud. I'm   
getting him a change of clothes," Yuki uttered as he went into the house.   
Tohru had gone to her part time job after cooking lunch for Shigure. So the  
house was quiet safe the sounds of Kyou eating in the living room under the   
comforts of the kotatsu in front of the television.  
  
He ignored them as he saw yuki bring the boy upstairs.   
  
Yuki pushed the boy gently into the bathroom. he took off the muddy coat  
and left it in the basin nearby. Under the coat, Haru was only wearing a pair  
of boxers. "Don't you catch a cold wearing only that?" Yuki asked as he   
prepared a hot water bath.   
  
Haru shook his head. Yuki waited a few minutes until the water was warm   
and comfortable enough. He gestured Haru to take off his boxers. Haru did   
just that and Yuki started lathering soap on his muddy legs. Yuki tried to   
ignore his cousin's pale body which kept nagging him to look. When he finally   
gave in and looked at Haru from the back, a strange feeling appeared at the   
pit of his stomach.   
  
He rinsed the soap away and gestured Haru to enter the warm steaming   
bath. "Can you come with me?" Haru's voice wa unsure, but hopeful. Yuki   
smiled and nodded. He stripped off his own clothes and pulled Haru into   
the warm water. They sank in slowly and closed their eyes for a while to  
absorb the soothing feel of warm water against their skin, seeping in to   
their muscles loosing any kink and tension it initially has.   
  
Yuki was the one to open his eyes first. He observed the boy next to him.   
That serene expression, it made him feel relieved. Earlier, he didn't know  
what to react when he heard that he was sick. He wanted to go and visit  
but his ego was confused. He didn't want Honda-san to think that he have  
special feelings for the boy. He was almost ashamed of the fact that he  
adored the boy.   
  
But now, he realised that if Haru was ever to leave his sight, he didn't   
think that he could live with that. Suddenly the image of Haru dead, on   
display in the Main House's temple mortified him. He instinctively reached   
out to embrace Haru. The boy possessed by the cow spirit opened his eyes  
in confusion. "Yuki? Daijobu?" he asked, embracing Yuki in return. "I'm sorry   
Haru. I didn't mean to hurt you," Yuki's voice was soft.  
  
Only the sound of the tap water releasing drop after drop of water could be   
heard. "It's okay Yuki. I am contented with the fact that you acknowledge   
my existence. You don't have to return my feelings if you don't want to,"  
Haru displayed a soft smile. Yuki shook his head. "I do! I really do. Please   
forgive me for being such a..."  
  
Haru put a finger on Yuki's mouth. He shook his head and pulled Yuki's head   
gently so that Yuki's head was resting on the crook of his collarbone and   
neck. He ran his fingers through Yuki's soft tresses.   
  
"Eien ni ore no hatsukoi..." Haru uttered. Yuki smiled, he love to hear that   
coming from Haru's mouth. The way he said it was as if it was the most   
beautiful phrase in te world. His thick liquid tenor enhanced the meaning  
defining its depth.   
  
Now he wasn't afraid. He would show them that he wasn't a coward to his  
feelings anymore. After a long soak, they went to change into something   
comfortable. "Aya called earlier. He asked if you want him to come and fetch  
you. But i told him to come tomorrow. You can stay here the night if you   
want. It is a weekend anyway," he smiled. "Thank you, Shigure-san," Haru   
nodded. Shigure couldnt help hiding his smile when he saw both of them   
hand in hand entering the kitchen. "Seem's that Yuki learned his lesson,"  
he smirked, looking at his laptop. Kyou lazily glanced into the kitchen. "Un,"   
he uttered as he continued to watch the music show on television.   
  
--  
  
"Tadaima!" Tohru came into the house. "Okaeri," the rest of the household   
answered. "Ah, Haru-kun is here too!" she smiled. Haru smiled. Yuki was   
already asleep on his lap, half of his body covered by the kotatsu. Kyou   
was still watching television and Shigure still typing away.   
  
Tohru smiled when she saw Yuki. She might look stupid, but she had guessed  
as much what had happened. She smiled gently before retreating to her   
bedroom on the 2nd floor.   
  
Shigure shut his laptop and looked at Kyou who was already dozing off on the table. He reached over to pat him on the shoulder. "Ne, Kyou-kun... why don't you go up to your room?" he asked. Kyou opened his eyes and frowned.  
But he quietly walked up the stairs to his room. Haru smiled and nodded at Shigure. "I'll carry him up," he told his older cousin. "Thank you, Ha-kun," he smiled and walked to his room.  
  
Haru carried the light bundle in his arms and walked up to Yuki's room. He place the lithe boy on his mattress and took one of Yuki's extra pillow so that he could sleep on the floor. "Haru?" Yuki opened his eyes. "Em?" the boy asked, a faint smile on his lips. "Sleep here," he inched closer to the wall so that there was space for the other. Haru smiled and took the pillow, putting it next to Yuki's. He climbed into the mattress and covered both of them with the thick futon.   
  
Yuki adjusted himself so he was facing Haru. He laid on Haru's chest and put his small hand on his chest, looking at it rise and fall. A sign on life. "Oyasumi," Haru uttered. "Oyasumi," Yuki replied as he closed his eyes dreaming pleasant ones.   
  
Owari...  
uhm... maybe it sucked, but it's exam week. Hahaha!! Out of all the time, i must do this on an exam week. WHY? WHY!?!?!! 


End file.
